For more comfortable reading...
Statement as of 5:00 PM EDT on June 08, 2005
...Tropical depression forms in the northwestern Caribbean...
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the government of Cuba has issued a tropical
storm watch for western Cuba for the province of Pinar del Rio and
the Isle of Youth.
Interests in the northwestern Caribbean should closely monitor the
progress of this system.
For storm information specific to your area...including possible
inland watches and warnings...please monitor products issued
by your local weather office.
At 5 PM EDT...2100z...the poorly-defined center of Tropical
Depression One was located near latitude 17.2 north... longitude
84.0 west or about 235 miles... 375 km... southwest of Grand Cayman
and about 315 miles... 510 km...south of the western tip of Cuba.
The depression is moving slowly northward as it organizes...but is
expected to begin moving toward the north near 7 mph...11 km/hr
tonight and Thursday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 30 mph... 45 km/hr...with higher
gusts...mainly in rainbands to the north and east of the center.
Some strengthening is forecast...and the depression has the
potential to become a tropical storm during the next 24 hours.
The minimum central pressure measured by a reconnaissance aircraft
was 1004 mb...29.65 inches.
Heavy rainfall...accompanied by squalls...should begin to spread
across the Cayman Islands and western Cuba tonight and Thursday.
Repeating the 5 PM EDT position...17.2 N... 84.0 W. Movement
toward...north near 7 mph. Maximum sustained winds... 30 mph.
Minimum central pressure...1004 mb.
An intermediate advisory will be issued by the National Hurricane
Center at 8 PM EDT followed by the next complete advisory at 11 PM
EDT.
Forecaster Knabb/Avila
